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Legend
telling Will Turner one of Jack Sparrow's well-known legends.]] A legend (Latin, legenda, "things to be read") is a story of anything perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale likeness or semblance to reality, or to the truth. The term "legend" refers to either a story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events, some being fabricated in which part of the truth is embellished to an unlikely degree; or a person of extraordinary accomplishments, usually a leading protagonist. A majority of legends operate within the realm of uncertainty, never being entirely believed by the participants, but also never being resolutely doubted. History Known legends Davy Jones and Calypso According to legend, a sailor named Davy Jones fell in love with Calypso, a woman "as harsh and untameable as the sea." He never stopped loving her and the pain it caused him was too much for him to bear so he carved out his heart and locked it away in a chest. He kept the key to the chest with him at all times.Pirates of the Caribbean: The Complete Visual Guide, p.62-63 "Davy Jones" In reality, Jones was forsaken by Calypso, an ancient sea goddess. So Davy Jones plotted with the First Brethren Court to tear the rule of the seas away from Calypso.Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (video game) Made up of nine Pirate Lords, the First Court had captured Calypso and bound her in human form. With her no longer able to send storms to destroy them, their own rule over the sea had become absolute. It had been the turning point for pirates everywhere. The imprisonment of Calypso meant that they could be the lords of the sea.Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (junior novelization) p.32-33 The Flying Dutchman When mariners awake screaming, it's because they had dreamed of a ghostly ship and its terrifying barnacled crew. In sailors' legends the Flying Dutchman rises from the ocean depths, its rigging draped in seaweed and its sails glowing like fire. It sped across the flat water when all other ships are becalmed. Its very beams sigh with human voices, weighed down with a century of weary toil. When sailors fall overboard and are doomed to drown they soon realize that the Dutchman is not just a myth, the ship appears before their eyes and they are swiftly plucked form the jaws of death and given the option to serve before the mast of Davy Jones' ship.Pirates of the Caribbean: The Complete Visual Guide, p.64-65 "The Flying Dutchman" Prior to this, the Dutchman was used in the duty Davy Jones was charged with: to ferry the souls who die at sea into the other side.Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End But after Calypso's imprisonment, Jones abandoned his duty, instead wreaking havoc on the seas and unleashing the Kraken upon many vessels. He also preyed on wayward sailors lost at sea who wished to avoid death and final judgment, press-ganging them into service.Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest The Dutchman returned to its original purpose after Davy Jones' death at the hands of Will Turner. And so the duty of the captain of the Flying Dutchman was passed to another. Blackbeard Of all the sea-rovers who ever hoisted the black colors, Blackbeard was the most notorious. Ruthless, cunning, and savage to his subordinates, he was nonetheless an able and even charismatic leader. An Englishman who was born Edward Teach, he began his career of plunder as one of the many privateers dispensed by King George to raid enemy ships during war. It wasn't until he struck out as a free agent that his true legend was born.The Captain Jack Sparrow Handbook, p30. Blackbeard had become one of the most notorious pirates because he was a great sort of self-promoter. He'd go into battle with smoke billowing around his head and guns all over him; the smoke came from his black beard that he plaited when he went into battle. Blackbeard's death in Ocracoke Inlet became the most popular of all famous pirate battles because it was well-publicized at the time. Sent to track down Blackbeard, Lieutenant Maynard attacked at dawn on two small ships, and came up alongside Blackbeard. And Lieutenant Maynard attacked at dawn on two small ships, and came up alongside Blackbeard. After a tremendous fight onboard, Blackbeard was attacked with about twenty musket balls and six cutlass wounds and eventually fell to the deck, dead.Below Deck: An Interactive History Of Pirates According to legend, Blackbeard was supposedly beheaded and swam around his ship three times before climbing back on board.Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides However, Blackbeard was not killed at all."Blackbeard's history is definitely a legend, and like most legends, may or may not have a basis in fact." - Terry Rossio In later years, Blackbeard and his zombie officers had become known for raising havoc throughout the Caribbean. Blackbeard also wielded a mystical weapon—the Sword of Triton—which he used to control ships, both the Queen Anne's Revenge and other vessels he captured. His crew of ghastly zombies obey his every command, and they don't fear death because they're already dead. As Blackbeard's flagship, the Queen Anne's Revenge had a cage put on the back, a Greek fire-based weapon on the bow, and the entire ship was decorated with the skeletons of his victims as trophies.Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides: The Visual Guide, p28-29: "Blackbeard" Jack Sparrow How Captain Jack Sparrow wriggled his way into the pantheon of great pirate captains and attained the rank of Pirate Lord, no one knows. The fact remains, though, that his widely chronicled exploits have granted him a rather nefarious legend. It was considered insanity of the highest order to repeat his tragicomic misadventures would, including replicating his consumption of rum.The Captain Jack Sparrow Handbook, p.34 Despite his dishonesty and many deceptions, Jack Sparrow did embark on a number of grand and thrilling adventures, some involving the supernatural and journeys in finding hidden treasures. Many tales have been told of him, most of which have been embellished by Jack himself. Such tales have made Jack an infamous pirate of the Caribbean, having been able to create, or at least contributed to, his own reputation. Some include Jack vanishing from under the eyes of seven agents of the East India Company, and that he sacked Nassau Port without firing a shot,Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and having sunk a French war galleon with "naught but his cutlass and a diving bell."Pirates of the Caribbean: The Legend of Jack Sparrow One of the most notable and well-known legends was Jack's escape from Rumrunner's Isle.Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (junior novelization), p.119 It was said that days after Hector Barbossa marooned him on the island to die, Jack roped himself a couple of sea turtles to make a raft. Will Turner was quick to point out a flaw in this story when Joshamee Gibbs relayed it aboard the Black Pearl: "What did he use for rope?" Jack himself supplied an addendum to the legend, stating he used human hair from his back.Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Legend had it that Angelica was the only woman Jack Sparrow ever truly loved, but there have been occasions where she tried to kill him. Whether she broke his heart or he smote hers was an endless debate between the two pirates.Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides: The Visual Guide, p.22-23: "Angelica" Quest for the Sword of Cortés The corrosive conquistador Hernán Cortés used a cursed sword to conquer the Aztec empire. Legend said that the sword made Cortés unstoppable in battle and granted him strange powers, such as convincing the Aztecs that he was the god Quetzalcoatl. The sword held limited power if the one who possessed it didn't also have its sheath. Later legends tell of Stone-Eyed Sam using the sword to curse Isla Esquelética, as "A neat little city of stone and marble—just like them there Romans built."Jack Sparrow: The Coming Storm Arabella Smith overheard some of the stories at the Faithful Bride tavern. To the patrons of the Bride, she was just the girl who filled the tankards, but she had heard hundreds of stories and legends over the years. Each story was almost like being on an adventure. Blood of the Aztec Curse There were stories told of a ghostly ship with black sails that haunted the Caribbean—its crew and captain cursed for all time to search for a mysterious treasure. Some had heard the stories of the dreaded ship, known as the Black Pearl. For over ten years she had sailed the waters of the Caribbean, preying on towns and vessels. Without warning, she would appear out of the night and attack, leaving nothing nothing but chaos and destruction in her path.Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (junior novelization), p.48 The Black Pearl was a legend, an old ghost story told to young children to scare them. Even Mullroy, who let out a laugh upon hearing the ship's name from Jack Sparrow, knew not to be afraid of a ship that no one had ever seen—no less sailed on. Mullroy scoffed, "There's no real ship as can match the Interceptor," before arguing about if the Pearl was real or not with Murtogg, who claimed to have seen it.Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (junior novelization), p.22 Although Governor Weatherby Swann wanted his daughter to be a proper member of Port Royal society, Elizabeth Swann had long been fascinated with pirates and legends of the sea.Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (junior novelization), p.4 Though she had great knowledge on most pirate legends, such as Jack Sparrow and the Code of the Brethren, she hadn't known of many other stories of the sea.It is apparent that in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Elizabeth didn't know about the Aztec curse. Also, in Dead Man's Chest, she didn't seem to know about Davy Jones, the Flying Dutchman, or the Kraken. Search for the Dead Man's Chest Legend has it that a tortured soul called Davy Jones lives beneath the sea, his still-beating broken heart locked away in a chest, and a terrible sea beast at his command. Unfortunately for the notorious pirate, Captain Jack Sparrow, this particular legend is very real. Years ago, Jack made a deal with Davy Jones, who is now expecting him to make good on his promise by handing himself over to Jones's servitude. But Jack will not give in without a fight. Stories were told of Isla Cruces, in which the island was once populated and that the Church of England also established itself on the island. However, it was said to have brought disease to the island, resulting in a plague that wiped out the entire population. The priest had to bury the inhabitants, one by one, until he went insane and hung himself.Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (junior novelization), p.115''Dead Man's Chest'' Deleted Scene - "Salvation" When Jack Sparrow asked Will Turner how he got to the island, Will said "Sea turtles, mate. A pair of them, strapped to my feet," referencing a well-known legend that Jack Sparrow himself had escaped an island on the backs of turtles. Jack grinned at Will's slight, saying "Not so easy, is it?" During the fight at Isla Cruces, Norrington and Will stood stunned as Jack took off down the beach with the key to the Dead Man's Chest, then quickly regained their composure and bolted after him. Jack headed for the old church. Racing into the bell tower, key in hand, he climbed the wooden stairs. High above him, dangling from the timbers was the skeleton of the legendary hanged priest. Jack gave the skeleton a quick nod and continued his climb before Norrington and Will caught up to Jack.Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (junior novelization), p.124 War Against Piracy Since the golden age of pirates, the Pirate Lords have ruled the Seven Seas. Lord Cutler Beckett of the East India Trading Company was on a mission to change that balance of power. Having already heard of Jack Sparrow's death by the Kraken, Beckett said that Jack was "a legend we're well rid of."Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, p.10 However, Jack was brought back from the Land of the Dead and participated in the Fourth Brethren Court meeting. While convincing Sao Feng to side with the pirates, even after his betrayal, Hector Barbossa referred to the legend of the imprisoned sea goddess Calypso. In spite of Sao Feng scoffing at Calypso being an old legend, he made an accord with Barbossa. Prior to this, Elizabeth Swann told Sao Feng that he commanded in an age of piracy where bold captains sail free waters, that weren't measured in feet, but as increments of fear, and those who pass the test become legend. The Fountain of Youth .]] There are many myths of the seven seas, but the fate of few ships has been debated like that of the Santiago. Sent to discover the marvels of the New World in the 16th century, the ship had been missing ever since. Legends say that its captain, Juan Ponce de León, discovered the Fountain of Youth. Two centuries after Ponce de León's search, the Santiago once again figures in the schemes of ruthless men.Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides: The Visual Guide, p.60-61 "The Santiago" According to the legend, some very specific items were necessary to perform the Profane Ritual of the Fountain of Youth. The two silver Chalices of Cartagena were a crucial part of the ritual to gain eternal life; for the ceremony required not just a seeker of youth but also a victim whose years will be consumed. Both must drink from the Chalices, at which point all the years of the victim's life will be transferred to the seeker. The perilous waters of Whitecap Bay must then be reached, for mermaids lurked beneath the pale, foaming breakers. A longboat full of members of Blackbeard's crew was sent to lure a mermaid for her tears. Legend has it that man-made light and song attract the sirens of the sea, so the boat is lit by the beam of the lighthouse and Scrum sang a swaying sea shanty.Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides: The Visual Guide, p.54-55 "Whitecap Bay" Only a mermaid's tear, placed in one of the Chalices, would set the rejuvenating forces to work. Finally, the Fountain of Youth itself must be reached in order for the ceremony for immortality to begin.Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides: The Visual Guide, pg. 24-25: "The Secret of Eternal Youth" Examples of famous legends *Atlantis *El Dorado *Fountain of Youth *James Misson and the founding of Libertalia, a pirate utopia *Story of Davy Jones and Calypso *The Flying Dutchman *The Brethren Court **The First Brethren Court, told as an event justifying the imprisonment of Calypso **Morgan and Bartholomew of the Second Brethren Court *Sea monster *Jack Sparrow *Blackbeard; stories of his cruelty have attained legendary status. *Trident of Poseidon Behind the scenes *The tagline for Pirates of the Caribbean Online was "Live the Legend!" The Black Pearl and the Queen Anne's Revenge were tagged as "Legendary Ships". In Cannons of the Deep, the mobile game coinciding with Pirates Online, players were said to be part of the myths and legends of old. However, these games are no longer available. *One of the taglines for Pirates of the Caribbean: Tides of War was "Battle with Legends of the Sea!" Appearances *''The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow'' *''Jack Sparrow: The Coming Storm'' *''Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl'' *''Pirates of the Caribbean: The Legend of Jack Sparrow'' *''Pirates of the Caribbean Online'' *''The Sleeping Island!'' *''Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest'' *''Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End'' *''Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides'' *''LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game'' Sources *''Pirates of the Caribbean (film series)'' *''Below Deck: An Interactive History Of Pirates'' *''Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (junior novelization)'' *''Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (junior novelization)'' *''Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (junior novelization)'' *''Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (junior novelization)'' *''Pirates of the Caribbean: The Complete Visual Guide'' *''Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides: The Visual Guide'' See also *Folklore *Pirate Lore *Myth External links * Notes and references Category:Lore